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After dropping three straight, the Kalamazoo Wings (27-24-1-3) have reeled off three consecutive wins and find themselves back in the playoff picture in the Central Division.
The K-Wings defeated the Quad City Mallards (31-22-0-2), one of the teams they trail in the standings, both Friday and Saturday nights. On Friday, the K-Wings beat the Mallards 4-2 at the iWireless Center in Moline, Illinois.
On Saturday, the two teams met again, this time at Wings Event Center, where the K-Wings came up victorious by a 4-1 score.
The Cincinnati Cyclones blew into town on Sunday for a 3 PM game. After trading a pair of goals early in the first period, the K-Wings scored the next four goals to take a 5-1 before the Cyclones added their second of the night in the closing minute of the second period.
Dajon Mingo added a goal early in the final period to make it a 6-2 lead and eventual final score.
In addition to Mingo, Charlie Vasaturo (6), Tyler Biggs (11), Tanner Sorenson (14, 15) and Cameron Darcy (1), scored goals for the K-Wings.
The K-Wings travel back to Moline, IL for a Wednesday night matchup with the Mallards. Returning home on Friday night, the K-Wings will host the Brampton Beast at 7 PM. After a game in Toledo on Saturday, the K-Wings return home to face the Adirondack Thunder at 3 PM on “We are Kalamazoo” night. After last year’s success in raising approximately $60,000 in the wake of the February 20 shootings in Kalamazoo, the K-Wings will make their “We Are Kalamazoo” game an annual installment. The game will be used as a fundraising effort to provide relief to the community and families of those affected by local tragedies, such as the shootings and the June cycling accident. We will be honoring the victims at this game and also a silent auction will be held to help raise funds for the cause.
K-Wings News and Notes
Friday vs. Quad City: Tanner Sorenson broke an eleven-game goal drought… Dajon Mingo had his first career multi-goal game…Kalamazoo snapped a three-game losing streak… the K-Wings climbed to within one point of the fourth and final playoff position in the Central Division… Nick Riopel won his sixth out of his last seven starts… Kalamazoo’s power play went 0/3 and the penalty kill went 4/5.
Saturday vs. Quad City: Justin Taylor set a new career high with his 26th goal of the season and he is now three points shy of Sam Ftorek’s ECHL franchise record for career points… Nick Riopel has won seven of his last eight starts… Kalamazoo jumps ahead of Tulsa for the fourth and final playoff position in the Central Division… Cameron Darcy has points in both games since being re-assigned to Kalamazoo… Kalamazoo’s 23 second-period shots set a new season high for a single-period shot total.
Sunday vs. Cincinnati: Joel Martin moved into a tied for fourth all-time on the ECHL career wins list with 172… Tyler Biggs has scored in three straight games… Cameron Darcy has points in all three games since his reassignment to Kalamazoo… The K-Wings earned all six possible points this weekend… Tanner Sorenson became the second player this season to score two goals in a period… Justin Taylor added another point and is four shy of tying Sam Ftorek’s ECHL franchise record for career points.
Submitted by Mark McGlothlen
